Collapsible shelter for mounting on a transportation vehicle

ABSTRACT

A collapsible shelter which is mountable on a transportation vehicle and is carried by the vehicle. The shelter includes a rigid receptacle having a substantially flat bottom and a plurality of side walls secured to the outer periphery of the bottom. A pair of parallel support walls is fixed to the bottom interiorally of the side walls. A bow is pivotedly mounted on the support walls. The bow has its axis of pivoting adjacent to one end of the receptacle, and the length of the bow is less than the length of the receptacle to allow the bow to be positioned in the receptacle in a stored position but extend beyond the end of the receptacle in a raised position. A flexible roof is connected to the receptacle and to the bow, whereby the bow releasably supports a portion of the roof above the receptacle and a portion of the roof extends beyond the receptacle.

United States Patent [191 Franzen COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER FOR MOUNTING ON A TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE [76] Inventor: Erwin F. Franzen, 3673 Randolph St., Lansing, Ill.

[22] Filed: Mar. 10, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 122,768

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 36,709, May 13,

1970, abandoned.

[451 July 3,1973

489,438 1/1954 Italy 135/1 A Primary Examimgr.l. Karl Bell Attorney-Stone, Zummer & Aubel 5 7] ABSTRACT A collapsible shelter which is mountable on a transportation vehicle and is carried by the vehicle. The shelter includes a rigid receptacle having a substantially flat bottom and a plurality of side walls secured to the outer periphery of the bottom. A pair of parallel support walls is fixed to the bottom interiorally of the side walls. A bow is pivotedly mounted on the support walls. The bow has its axis of pivoting adjacent to one end of the receptacle, and the length of the bow is less than the length of the receptacle to allow the bow to be positioned in the receptacle in a stored position but extend beyond the end of the receptacle in a raised position. A flexible roof is connected to the receptacle and to the bow, whereby the bow releasably supports a portion of the roof above the receptacle and a portion of the roof extends beyond the receptacle.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL 3 I975 SHEH 2 0? 2V F! a 9 m liE/v TOR: ERW/N- 1-? FRA/VZE/V Hygiene, KM

Attorneys COLLAPSIBLE-SI-IELTER FOR MOUNTING ON A TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 36,709, filed May 13, 1970, entitled COL- LAPSIBLE SHELTER FOR MOUNTING ON A TRANSPORTATION DEVICE and now abandoned. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of a transportable shelter has gained a high degree of acceptance, not only by sportsmen and outdoorsmen but also by families. The use of a transportable shelter allows a family or an outdoorsman to travel to heretofore unavailable locales, and has provided substantial economies for a family since it is not necessary for the family to pay for lodging in a hotel or motel. Thus, the use of campers, trailers and tents has gained in popularity. However, a trailer slows down a vehicle traveling between two locales having good highways therebetween. In many areas, there are restrictions as to where an automobile may go pulling a trailer. Campers suffer from the limitation that a special vehicle is used and the investment for a camper is quite substantial. Tents resolve the problems of the difficulty in hauling and have a low investment cost. However, a tent is difficult to erect and collapse under adverse conditions, and it is necessary to find a particularly suitable location for a tent before the tent can be erected with any degree of safety or comfort.

SUMMARY OF. THE INVENTION The present invention is an improved collapsible shelter which is mounted on a transportation vehicle. The shelter is an improvement over tents and trailers in that it requires very little space and it is mounted on the vehicle. It is raised easily, and it is taken down quite easily. The shelter includes a mattress receptacle which is rigid and is mounted on the transportation vehicle. A flexible cover is positioned over the receptacle to protect the interior of the receptacle, and the cover is easily removed. A collapsible roof support is contained in the receptacle, and a flexible roof is quickly and easily extended to protect the interior of the receptacle and the roof extends beyond the receptacle. A stand is positioned under the roof extension for supporting a user of the shelter to provide a convenient dressing area. A plurality of restrainers are connected to the roof for holding the roof in resilient attachment to the vehicle.

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a collapsible shelter which is set up easily and conveniently, and the shelter is collapsed with a great deal of facility.

It is another object of the herein-disclosed invention to provide a collapsible shelter which is simple to manufacture and is manufactured for a low cost.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible shelter which is easy to maintain.

It is a still further object of the instant invention to provide an improved construction for a collapsible shelter which is mounted on a vehicle with a minimum of effort.

Other objects and uses of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following specification in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an automobile with a collapsible shelter embodying the instant invention mounted on the roof of the automobile, with the shelter shown in a closed attitude;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shelter shown in FIG. 1, but with the shelter shown in a partially open attitude;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the automobile shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the shelter of FIGS. 1 and 2 shown in a fully raised attitude with a door of the shelter shown in a partially open position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a receptacle portion of the shelter of FIG. 3, taken on Line 4-4 of FIG. 3, with a mattress removed in order to show the relationship of a bow and a portion of a stand mounted on the receptacle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shelter shown in FIG. 3, with a portion of the top removed in order to show the interrelationship of the bows and other parts of the receptacle;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the stand of the collapsible shelter and a portion of the receptacle broken away in orderto show the interior construction thereof;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the receptacle, with parts broken away, showing an electric motor drive for raising and lowering the top of the shelter;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a portion of the receptacle, showing a hand crank used in conjunction with a manual drive for raising and lowering the top of the shelter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, a collapsible shelter embodying the instant invention and generally indicated by numeral 10 is shown mounted on a roof of an automobile 12 by a pair of conventional mounting brackets 14 which are secured to gutters 16 of the automobile. The collapsible shelter 10 generally includes a mattress receptacle 18 with a mattress 19 in the receptacle and a cover 20 connected to the receptacle. A canvas top 22 is connected to the receptacle, and a roof support generally indicated by numeral 24 is connected to the receptacle for supporting the top. A plurality of restrainers 26 is connected to the top for holding the roof in a selected position. A stand 28 is pivotedly connected to the receptacle and is supported partially by the automobile 12.

The mattress receptacle 18 may be best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The receptacle is, in this instance, a molded fiberglass receptacle, which includes a flat bottom or floor 30 to which are attached the mounting brackets 14. Formed integral with the longitudinal edges of floor 30 is a pair of longitudinal side walls 32. A front end wall 34 is formed integral with the front edge of the bottom and with the longitudinal side walls. A rear end wall 36 is formed integral with the rear edge of bottom 30 and the opposite ends of the longitudinal side walls 32.. The rear end wall 36 has a pair of bracket recesses 38 formed therein for receiving a portion of the stand 28. The bottom 30 also has a pair of support walls 40 formed integral therewith. Each of the support walls 40 has a bow recess 42 adjacent to the front wall 34.

The roof support 24 is mounted on the support walls 40. The roof support includes a front or short bow 44, a middle or intermediate bow 46, and a long or rear bow 48. The general construction of each of the bows is identical to the other bows. Each bow is tubular and has a general U-shape in that it has a pair of parallel legs and an interconnecting member formed integral with the legs. Each of the bows has a pair of legs having a length different from the length of the legs of the other bows. The short how has the shortest legs and the long bow 48 has the longest legs, as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. All three of the bows are pivotedly connected to the support walls in a conventional manner. The length of the legs of short bow 44 is such that the bow fits within the receptacle 18, as do the other two bows 46 and 48. The bow recess 42 of the support walls 40 allows the bows to rest below the level of the side walls. The short bow 44 has its axis of pivoting adjacent to the front wall 34. The long bow 48 has its axis of pivoting positioned adjacent to the rear end wall 36, and the length of the legs of the bow 48 is such that the bow fits entirely within the receptacle. In a raised position, the long bow may be extended out beyond the end of the rear end wall 36, as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. As will be described in detail hereinafter, the bow 48 moves the top in and out of the receptacle and holds the top above the stand 28 to provide standing room.

The top 22 is made of a conventional canvas material. The top includes a roof 56 which is supported on the interconnecting members of the bows. The roof has one end fixed to the front end wall 34. In a raised attitude, the roof 56 includes a portion which extends over the receptacle and an auxiliary portion which extends out beyond the receptacle. A pair of side panels 58 is sealingly fixed to the roof 56. Each of the side panels has a window 60 which may be zipper closed by a window panel. Each side panel includes a lower extension 62 which extends down beyond the receptacle 18, as may be seen in FIG. 3. The extension has a plurality of hook rings 64 for receiving the restrainers 62. A rear panel 66 is formed integral with the side panels and is sealingly connected to the roof 56. The rear panel 66 has a door 68 formed therein to allow ingress and egress to the interior of the shelter.

Each of the restrainers 26 includes an elastic strap 70 having a panel hook 72 on one end for positioning in a hook ring 64 and a bow hook 74 for engagement with the automobile 12.

The stand 28 includes a stand axle 76 which is rotatably connected to the rear end wall 36 by a pair of axle brackets 78. A pair of telescoping arms 80 is connected to the axle 76. In an active position, the arms 80 are positioned in the bracket recesses 38. Each of the telescoping arms 80 includes a tube 82 having a pluraity of pin apertures 84 contained therein. A rod 86 is slideably mounted in the tube 82 and has a plurality of mating apertures 88. A pin 90 is removably mounted in a selected pair of apertures. The rods 86 are connected to a platform axle 92, which is pivotedly connected to a flat platform 94 by a pair of platform axle brackets 96.

The platform 94 has a platform stop 98 mounted on its bottom portion adjacent to the end attached to the arms 80. The platform stop 98 includes a bracket 100. A platform leg 102 is fixed to the bracket, and a foot 104 which is adapted for mounting on an automobile rear deck lid is fixed to the leg. The platform has a pair of eyes 106 secured to the opposite end and a pair of receptacle eyes 108 are secured to the rear end wall 36 and the support walls 40. A pair of chains 110 is secured to each of the eyes 106 and 108 on the same side of the platform for supporting the platform 94 in a substantially horizontal position. It is apparent that hinged metal straps could be substituted for the chains 110, providing that the hinging were appropriately positioned.

The stand 28 also includes a seat 112. The seat 112 includes a seat platform 114 which has one end pivotedly connected to the arms 80. The other end of the seat platform is connected to a pair of seat chains 116, which seat chains are connected to their respective arms 80, as may be best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6.

The cover 20 is, in this instance, a flexible, waterproof plastic sheet material and includes a top sheet 118 and an apron 120. A portion of the apron 120 is fixed to the rear end wall 36. The remainder of the apron 120 is releasably connected to the longitudinal walls 32 and the front end wall 34 by conventional snaps 124.

- FIG. 1 shows the shelter 10 mounted on the top of an automobile in a closed attitude for traveling. It may be seen that the shelter is contained entirely on top of the automobile 12, and the shelter provides a low profile so that the shelter does not impede the operation of the automobile.

The shelter 10 is erected with a great deal of facility. It may be erected at any place where the automobile 12 is positioned so that it is not necessary to look for a location which is particularly dry or one which accommodates itself to stakes or other paraphernalia. The cover 20 is loosened by unsnapping the apron 120 from the longitudinal sides and the front end wall 34. The cover is then laid over the rear deck lid of the automobile 12. The stand 28 is then removed from the interior of receptacle 18. The platform 94 is raised, and the axle 76 is pivoted in the mounts 78 so that the arms 80 are positioned in the bracket recesses 38. The platform 94 is pivoted about the platform axle 92 until the feet 104 rest on the rear deck lid of the automobile 12 with the sheet 118 of cover 20 interposed to protect the rear deck lid, as shown in FIG. 2. The rear portion of the platform is suspended between support chains 110.

When the stand is in position, the operator may stand on the stand for raising the top. The operator need only grasp the rear panel 66 of the top 22 to pull the rear panel toward the rear of the automobile. As the panel is pulled out, the rear bow 48 is pivoted until the protion of the roof 56 between the rear bow and the intermediate bow 46 is extended. Then the intermediate bow 46 is raised; and finally the front or short bow 44 is raised. The operator pulls on the rear panel until the rear bow 48 passes an upright position and starts to swing downward toward the rear of the automobile. Then the weight of the panel carries the bow downward to its fully extended position. It may be appreciated that the roof 56 is fixed to the front end wall 34 so that the movement of the bow is restrained. The panels 58 are secured to the longitudinal side walls 32 and are held therein by snaps. The bottoms of the panels are secured to the automobile by restrainers 26, which hold down the bottom of the panelsv and-also maintain the shelter in a raised attitude.

It may be appreciated that the length of the arms 80 of the stand may be adjusted by selectively positioning the rods 86 within the tubes 82 to have an appropriate length of the arms 80 to accommodate a particular automobile construction. However, once the arms are positioned for a particular vehicle there is no further need of adjustment.

The instant shelter provides many comforts for the operator. The door 68 is opened and the operator climbs into the shelter to stand on platform 94. The platform provides an area for a user to remove or put on clothing and a place for storage of some materials. The seat 112 also provides a convenient place for a user to sit in changing clothes or putting on or removing footwear. The seat also provides a convenient step for climbing into the matress receptacle.

It is a simple matter to collapse the shelter. First the restrainers 26 are removed and the side panels are unsnapped from the longitudinal side walls 32. The operator need stand only on the platform and push the long bow 48 forward. The weight of the roof causes the short bow 44 to pivot downward and bring with it the roof and side panels. When the long bow 48 passes the upright position, the weight of the roof portion carries the bows and top into the receptacle. The support walls 40 have the bow recesses which accommodate the bows and a portion of the canvas. A portion of the side panels fits inside the space between the support wall and the adjacent longitudinal wall. The stand 28 is packed into the receptacle simply by pivoting the platform 94 upward and onto the arms 80 and pivoting the entire unit into the receptacle. The cover is then pulled over the top of the receptacle and snapped into position.

Although the foregoing description has been specifically described for use on an automobile, it may be readily appreciated that the instant construction may be mounted on top of a station wagon with the receptacle extending to the end of the station wagon and the stand 28 may be eliminated. The instant device may also be mounted on top of a truck or on the roof of a water craft.

In order to facilitate the raising and lowering of the top, a motor is provided for pivoting the long bow 48. A top operator is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The remainder of the shelter is identical to that described above, with only the modifications described hereinafter. The long bow 48 'has a pair of short shafts 200 and 202 fixedly connected to the bow on the axis of pivoting of the bow. A gear 204 is mounted on the shaft 200, and an identical gear 206 is mounted on the shaft 202. A drive shaft 208 is rotatably mounted in the support walls 40. The drive shaft 208 has a small gear 210 mounted on one end and meshing with the gear 204. A pinion 212, identical to gear 210, is mounted on the other end of the drive shaft 208 and meshes with the gear 206. A pinion 214 meshes with the gear 204, which pinion is driven by a conventional electric motor 216. The motor 216 is a reversible fractional horsepower motor which is energized by a conventional source of electricity such as the automobile battery by connecting the motor to the cigar lighter. The connection of the motor with the battery is not shown and is conventional herein. The motor 216 can operate in either direction for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter.

Once the cover is removed and the stand positioned, the motor 216 is energized to drive the gear 204 to lift the long bow 48. It may be appreciated that the gear train from the gear 204 to the gear 206 is such that both gears are driven at the same speed so that the other side of the long bow 48 is also raised. The bow is raised, and it is necessary to attach the snaps and the restrainers as described above. In order to lower the shelter, the operation is reversed; and rather than the operator pushing the bow over, the motor is energized to rotate the bow toward the front and thereby collapse the shelter.

FIG. 9 shows a modified form of the invention wherein the electric motor is replaced by a hand crank 300. In the form shown in FIG. 9, the electric motor is eliminated, as well as the pinion 214. A hand crank 300 is removably connected to the small gear 210 so that the turning of the crank 300 turns the gears 210 and 212 to rotate the gears 204 and 206 in a selected direction. It may be appreciated that by utilizing the crank arrangement, it is not necessary for an operator to climb onto the platform to pull up the bow, but rather he may stand alongside the automobile and crank up the bow. Also, lowering the shelter is facilitated in view of the fact that the operator need only crank the long bow to collapse the shelter after the snaps have been released.

Although a specific embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention has been shown and described in detail above, it is readily apparent that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is to be expressly understood that the subject invention is limited only by the appended claims, and the detailed description set forth above is done so in compliance with the applicable patent statute.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle, including, a rigid receptacle, a bow pivotedly mounted on the receptacle, said bow having its axis of pivoting adjacent to one end of the receptacle, said bow being positionable in the receptacle in a stored position and being pivotal from the stored position to extend beyond the one end of the receptacle, a flexible roof supported by the bow above the receptacle and beyond the one end of the receptacle, and a stand connected to said receptacle adjacent to said one end, said stand being adapted to be stored in said receptacle, said stand includes an arm having one end connected to the receptacle, a seat connected to the arm, and a platform connected to the other end of the arm adapted for being supported on the vehicle.

2. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle, including, a receptacle having a bottom and a plurality of side walls secured to the bottom, a pair of rigid support walls fixed to the bottom interiorally of said side walls, a bow pivotedly mounted-on the support walls, said bow having its axis of pivoting adjacent to one end of the receptacle, and a flexible roof connected to the receptacle and the bow, whereby the bow releasably supports a portion of the roof above the receptacle and a portion of the roof extending beyond the receptacle.

3..A collapsible shelter as defined in claim 2, includ- 'ing, a second bow pivotedly mounted on the support walls having its axis of pivoting adjacent to the other end of the receptacle, said second bow having a length less than the length of the first-mentioned bow.

4. A collapsible shelter as defined in claim 3, including, a third bow positioned between the first-mentioned bow and the second bow and connected to the roof for supporting the roof, said support walls each having a reduced portion adjacent to the other end to receive the bows therein.

5. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle as defined in claim 2, including, a cover having one edge fixed to the receptacle at the end adjacent to the axis of pivoting of the bow, said cover having the remainder of its edges releasably connectable with the receptacle.

6. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein the support walls each have a reduced portion adjacent to the other end of the receptacle to receive the bow therein for storing the bow.

7. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle, including; a rigid receptacle having a flat bottom and a rectangular shape, a pair of longitudinal walls formed integral with opposite edges of the bottom, a front end wall formed integral with one edge of the bottom and formed integral with the longitudinal end walls, and a rear end wall formed'integral with the bottom and with the longitudinal wall; a cover fixed to the rear end wall and releasably connected to' the longitudi nal walls and the front end wall; said receptacle including a pair of support walls formed integral with the bottom and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal walls between the front end wall and the rear end wall; each of said support walls having a recess adjacent to the front end wall; a bow pivotedly connected to the support walls adjacent to the rear end wall and being positionable in the recess of the support wall to be stored therein; a second bow pivotedly connected to the support walls adjacent to the front wall and being positionable in the recess to be stored therein; a roof having one edge secured to the front end wall and con nected to the second bow and to the first-mentioned bow; a pair of side panels connected to the roof and extending to the receptacle; and a stand pivotedly connected to the receptacle; said stand having one arm pivotedly connected to the receptacle, a platform pivotedly connected to the other end of the arm, and a support connected to the platform for connection to the vehicle to be supported thereby. 

1. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle, including, a rigid receptacle, a bow pivotedly mounted on the receptacle, said bow having its axis of pivoting adjacent to one end of the receptacle, said bow being positionable in the receptacle in a stored position and being pivotal from the stored position to extend beyond the one end of the receptacle, a flexible roof supported by the bow above the receptacle and beyond the one end of the receptacle, and a stand connected to said receptacle adjacent to said one end, said stand being adapted to be stored in said receptacle, said stand includes an arm having one end connected to the receptacle, a seat connected to the arm, and a platform connected to the other end of the arm adapted for being supported on the vehicle.
 2. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle, including, a receptacle having a bottom and a plurality of side walls secured to the bottom, a pair of rigid support walls fixed to the bottom interiorally of said side walls, a bow pivotedly mounted on the support walls, said bow having its axis of pivoting adjacent to one end of the receptacle, and a flexible roof connected to the receptacle and the bow, whereby the bow releasably supports a portion of the roof above the receptacle and a portion of the roof extending beyond the receptacle.
 3. A collapsible shelter as defined in claim 2, including, a second bow pivotedly mounted on the support walls having its axis of pivoting adjacent to the other end of the receptacle, said second bow having a length less than the length of the first-mentioned bow.
 4. A collapsible shelter as defined in claim 3, including, a third bow positioned between the first-mentioned bow and the second bow and connected to the roof for supporting the roof, said support walls each having a reduced portion adjacent to the other end to receive the bows therein.
 5. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle as defined in claim 2, including, a cover having one edge fixed to the receptacle at the end adjacent to the axis of pivoting of the bow, said cover having the remainder of its edges releasably connectable with the receptacle.
 6. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein the support walls each have a reduced portion adjacent to the other end of the receptacle to receive the bow therein for storing the bow.
 7. A collapsible shelter adapted for mounting on a vehicle, including; a rigid receptacle having a flat bottom and a rectangular shape, a pair of longitudinal walls formed integral with opposite edges of the bottom, a front end wall formed integral with one edge of the bottom and formed integral with the longitudinal end walls, and a rear end wall formed integral with the bottom and with the longitudinal wall; a cover fixed to the rear end wall and releasably connected to the longitudinal walls and the front end wall; said receptacle including a pair of support walls formed integral with the bottom and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal walls between the front end wall and the rear end wall; each of said support walls having a recess adjacent to the front end wall; a bow pivotedly connected to the support walls adjacent to the rear end wall and being positionable in the recess of the support wall to be stored therein; a second bow pivotedly connected to the support walls adjacent to the front wall and being positionable in the recess to be stored therein; a roof having one edge secured to the front end wall and connected to the second bow and to the first-mentioned bow; a pair of side panels connected to the roof and extending to the receptacle; and a stand pivotedly connected to the receptacle; said stand having one arm pivotedly connected to the receptacle, a platform pivotedly connected to the other end of the arm, and a support connected to the platform for connection to the vehicle to be supported thereby. 